Gaming Mini PC with Ryzen 9 Processor

In late 2021, mini PC maker Beelink, known for the inexpensive SER3, financed another small computer through crowdfunding platform Indiegogo: the GTR5. It’s a powerful PC with a small size and gaming ambitions. How compact the computer really is becomes clear when you compare the liter specs between the Apple Mac Mini and the Beelink GTR5: while an M1 Mac Mini takes up 1.4 liters of space, Beelink packs the Ryzen 9 into just 0.8 liters. . If you’re looking for a gaming PC that’s as fast as it gets but also small enough to sit discreetly on your desk, for example, the Ryzen 9 5900HX-powered GTR5 might be just what you need.

With its compact dimensions, the GTR5 is right at home on almost any desktop. Thanks to the rubber strips at the bottom, the mini PC is firmly in place. The GTR5 comes with a total of 5 USB-A ports. There’s also a USB-C port on the front, which can also be used to connect displays. But there are also HDMI and display ports on the back. Unfortunately, the eGPU connection is not possible due to the lack of Thunderbolt. Beelink has given the GTR5 two LAN ports on the back. There are two microphones on the front, but you won’t find an internal speaker. In view of the possible quality of such a speaker, it’s not bad at all, but a small speaker would have been fine to give clues. Beelink has given the GTR5 a fingerprint sensor. This is placed on top of the device and can be easily operated during operation. That sensor also has a second function: it also serves as a power button, so the PC can be turned on and off through it as well. The fingerprint sensor has proven to be reliable in the long run. Beelink equips the GTR5 with WLAN 6E. The little computer is thus well prepared for the future. As a little extra, the AMD logo at the top of the device is illuminated in white. Gaming is more associated with RGB, but a show of bright colors might be unnecessarily distracting for some people. The white lighting is discreet enough to be noticed but also ignored. As is typical for Beelink, the manufacturer includes two HDMI cables. One of them is very short, for example to fit the mini PC directly behind a screen. Beelink also provides the appropriate adapter for a VESA mount.

The GTR5 is, unsurprisingly, a seriously powerful mini PC. When you first start your computer, Windows 11 setup will greet you. Since the GTR5 is equipped with the current operating system, at least there are no worries about upgrading to the latest edition of Windows. The colleagues of SemperVideo explained here how to continue using Windows 11 with an offline account. Thanks to the Ryzen 9 CPU, the GTR5 not only handles everyday tasks with ease, but can also perform one or the other game that requires more performance with its computing power. If the performance in the standard BIOS settings is not enough, the AMD processor can also be overclocked. With the Radeon RX Vega 8 GPU, you’ll rarely be forced to lower your graphics settings in games. While our colleague poppy Usually not a passionate gamer, he bought the Mini-PC mainly for the upcoming “Star Trek Resurgence” release.

The Beelink GTR5 is powerful, but you can hear the power in everyday life. This is probably one of the reasons why Beelink prints instructions on the bottom of the mini PC on how to put the computer into so-called balance mode. In that, the power consumption of the GTR5 is reduced, which should lead to a reduction in fan noise. Anyone who expected a quieter operating noise due to the switch to reduced power consumption may be disappointed: the background noise of the mini PC can also be heard in balance mode. The difference is definitely there, but at the same time it is so small that you can leave the performance mode activated directly. In addition to performance and balance mode, the “Auto” option can also be selected. This setting dynamically toggles back and forth.

With the GTR5, Beelink tried to pack as much power as possible into the smallest possible space. After a few weeks with the crowdfunding PC, this project can be described as a success. The system works stably, reliably and does not overheat. At the same time, current games like “Life is Strange: True Colors” run smoothly on the mini PC. It can rightly be said that the GTR5 offers maximum power in the smallest spaces. While the mini PC’s performance isn’t just convincing on paper, you should consider whether you can accept the background noise that comes with performance before buying. If, for example, you play primarily with headphones or place the GTR5 in a remote location, the fairly audible running noise is put into perspective. Since the package isn’t much bigger than the PC itself, you have to buy your own monitor, keyboard, and mouse. If you don’t have any of these at home, you need to factor in the additional costs when planning your budget. After its debut on Indiegogo, the GTR5 is mainly featured on the manufacturer’s website. sold out. Multiple hardware versions can be selected: the 64GB RAM version comes with a 1TB SSD, while the 32GB RAM version only comes with 500GB of storage space. If you need more storage space and RAM out of the box, you pay 1,369 euros. The 32 GB version is slightly cheaper at 1,099 euros.

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